Police at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London, are to patrol with hidden cameras and tape recorders to try to curb increasing friction between rival religious and political groups.

Chief Inspector Alistair McLean, deputy chief officer of the group that partols the royal parks, said the decision to use hidden cameras at Britain's most famous platform for free speech had been taken reluctantly but was necessary because police were receiving a rising number of demands from the public for action against different groups. "There has been developing at Speakers' Corner, not suddenly but over a long period, religious fanaticism and political fundamentalism. It is Muslim and in some respects Christians who have become more vociferous in the way they are putting their dogma" Mr McLean said.

"At times their activities cause more than friction between factions, and also cause some offence to the public."

He said he had received letters from Christian and Muslims alike complaining of the language being used by speakers, some of whose remarks were causing   distress to the public."